bmadeline

Hi everyone

I am having a baby in 105 days! Feb 21...So excited, its our first. Not finding out the sex- we want to be suprised, but I feel like its a boy. We're slowly acquiring things, but I don't know what I'll really need and what will just sit around unused. I'm thinking that one of those infant car seats that snaps into a stroller will be more usefull than just a carseat and just a stroller. Also thinking that a crib that converts to a toddler bed would be a wise purchase. Any input? What other things have veteran moms found to be necessary? I'm cloth diapering, but still looking at different systems- not sure if I want to go with prefolds or all in ones.. any cloth diaper mamas want to weigh in on that one?

According to this, USCIS is planning to catch up completely with their backlog by oct 2009- I can't tell if they are only talking about naturalization or all immigration applications though.

Bush admin. makes immigration strides in 2008

By EILEEN SULLIVAN

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

Deportees wait for their plane to the Mexican border to take off from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on March, 14, 2008. The group is one of the more than 11,200 immigrants deported this year through Chicago, which handles a six-state region for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Figures released Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008, show the region's removals have more than doubled in the past four years and immigration officials expect the trend to continue, citing more aggressive tactics. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government arrested and deported record numbers of illegal immigrants - nearly 350,000 - in the past year, authorities say. It has also naturalized a record number of new Americans during the same time period, more than 1 million. Bush administration officials consider these to be great accomplishments within a system that President-elect Obama calls "broken and overwhelmed" on his transition Web site.

"We are seeing the kinds of results that the country hasn't seen for many years," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said last month.

When Congress failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform in 2007, the administration kicked up its enforcement of the immigration laws already on the books. The government also hired more people to process applications for immigrants who want to enter the country legally.

These enhancements led to increases in arrests of illegal immigrants and employers who hire them; decreases in the amount of time it takes to process immigration applications - it now takes 9-10 months for naturalization applications, compared with 16-18 months before that. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has reduced its backlog to 1.1 million, which is down from its biggest backlog of 3.6 million in 2004; it's on track to eliminate the backlog by October 2009.

The government recently awarded a five-year, $491 million contract to IBM to convert a paper-based immigration processing system to an electronic system.

There are about 11 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S., which reflects no increase from the previous year, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. It was recently discovered that Obama's aunt is among the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally.

The woman, Zeituni Onyango, had been instructed to leave the country four years ago by an immigration judge who rejected her request for asylum from her native Kenya. She has been living in public housing in Boston and is the half-sister of Obama's late father. Federal officials are prohibited from talking about her case, citing privacy laws. "If she is violating laws, those laws have to be obeyed," Obama said in a television interview Nov. 2.

"Obviously that doesn't lessen my concern for her, I haven't been able to be in touch with her. But I'm a strong believer you have to obey the law."

But to solve the immigration problem completely, Chertoff - who oversees immigration - has said the next administration will need to go back to Congress for comprehensive reform.

Pressure to revisit immigration reform will build quickly from Latino supporters, immigration groups and some business interests. Larger Democratic majorities could help to move a bill through Congress, but those majorities will be built, in part, with Democrats from conservative districts who are wary of going too far. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has said Democrats may have to give up some of their priorities in immigration reform to get an agreement, such as giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.

---

On the Net:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: http://www.ice.gov

USCIS: http://www.uscis.gov

Change.gov: http://change.gov/agenda/immigration/

Are these the only three police certificates needed or do you also need them from any locality where you lived for more than six months?

So if you lived all your life in Lima except for one year you moved to Cusco, would you then need a police certificate from Cusco or not?

And another big question for the Peruvian group please; was the embassy interview date for your 130/CR1/resident petition arranged by NVC or by the embassy? I'm trying to figure out timing for the interview after completion of the NVC process and I don't know who would schedule the interview faster NVC or the Lima U.S. Embassy.

thanks for your help.

I think the rule is that if you lived anywhere for over 6 months since you turned 16 you need a police report from that locality as well. My husband lived in lima since he was 5 so we didn't have to do that. I would find out how to get that documentation from Cusco, unless you lived there before age 16.

We did K-1 so I can't answer your other question, sorry!

Hey

We applied for our K-1 in january, 2007. We had our interview in June 07, were approved, and just got approved for the two year conditional green card this month here in Portland, OR.

My husband grew up in a very poor section of Lima and did not have any schooling past high school, except a few months of english classes before we left peru. We had no problems because of any of that. They did't ask for any documentation regarding education. Provided you have a genuine, loving relationship, you should have no problem getting your K-1 approved at the Lima Embassy.

Do read the K-1 guides, as other members have indicated. That will help you so much in getting the paperwork together. good luck!

Hey!

My husband is Peruvian, and we just moved to Bend, OR. He's just enrolled in english classes, so hopefully he will meet some new friends there, but I was just curious to see if there are any spanish speaking VJ users in central oregon?? we'd love to get together with anyone around who speaks spanish!

Madeline

this is from our experience with K-1 in Lima in June of 2007. There is more about civil surgeons and birth certificates on the VJWIKI (see WIKI tab above). search for Peru K-1 and you'll see the page I wrote after our experience.

good luck!

There are Three police documents:

1. Certificado de Policia This has to be done at Av. Aramburu 550 (take any bus that goes to the Via Expresa, get off at Puente Aramburu, walk 2 blocks to the big green building, use the side entrance) a. pay fee of about s/. 20 at any BANCO DE LA NACION b. get one passport sized foto. You can also take the photo there, but it takes a looong time, and costs s/.5 c. get a photo copy of DNI d. get a photo copy of the payment voucher from the bank (both copies can be made right outside the side entrance) Ready to pick up the next day.

2. Certificado Judicial de Antecedentes Penales This has to be done at the Ministerio del Publico, Av. Abancay. Use door 1. Get there early. a. pay fee of s/. 60.40 at any BANCO DE LA NACION b. the photo is taken there, and there is no charge. c. get photocopy of DNI d. get photocopy of payment voucher from the bank Ready to pick up the same day, but then you have to take it somewhere else to get it ´legalized´which can only be done before 2 pm.

Legalization of Antecedentes Penales This has to be done at the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores on the corner of Ucayali and Lampa, about 3 blocks from the Ministerio del Publico. a. wait in line, show the document to be legalized. they only let in one person per document. b. pay s/. 22.25 once inside if you get there early enough, you could pick it up in a few hours. if not you have to go back the next day. There will be a line, outside and inside. expect to wait about 45mins to pick up the newly legalilzed document. on the ticket they give you to pick up your doc, there is a time written in red marker. ask the doorman what hour the people in line are waiting for because you might not have to wait outside.

3. Certificado de Antecedentes Judiciales a nivel nacional This needs to be done at the INPE Av. Carabayo 451 about 3 blocks from the Ministerio del Publico. NOTE. this was the biggest headache.. there are TWO certificados de Antecedentes Judiciales. one is only valid for Lima, and will do you no good. Aparently the bank teller was not aware that there were two different certificates, and charged me the s/. 28 for the Lima regional cert, even though i clearly specified that I needed the NATIONAL cert. You need to make a deposit into the checking account of the INPE for the amount of s/. 34.95. a. deposit s/. 34.95 into account number 0000.281794. do this at the BANCO DE LA NACION in the Plaza Pizarro, next to the Palacio. b. take 2 carne sized photos c. give original reciept of payment d. photocopy of DNI Ready to be picked up in 10 working days.

We filed for K-1, so i guess it might be a little different, but I was physically present in Peru from the day we filed his petition to the day he was awarded his visa (and then two days longer before we flew to US together..) My mom filed the paperwork in the states and sent me the pertinant info and I did everything from Peru. BUT I was not a legal resident in Peru. I kept my US mailing address and still filed taxes and all in US. So I would imagine that if you still have your residence in the US then you should be fine and be able to do it the same way I did. It was really helpful to be there while he collected all of his documents and I could prepare everything for the interview. I swear, if I hadn't been there, we would have NEVER gotten that visa! He's not all that attuned to details.. good luck!

we also used situ- i didn't know about VJ at the time and just blindly chose one off the list. BIG MISTAKE. he and his entire staff were rude and very unprofessional. My husband is a darker skinned peruvian and he was treated with total disrespect and I do believe this office (as with countless other limeno institutions.. don't even get me started on the Sheraton) operates a very discriminatory practice.. unfortunate. I don't know if the other civil surgeons in Lima are like this, but avoid Situ at all costs! I would really like to start a petition to revoke his civil surgeon status..

NO more uscis for 2 years!!!! approved at interview in portland, or yesterday morning!

Hey VJers

Anyone know of any good interpreters in the Portland area? we have our AOS interview on Sept 23 and my husband's english isn't quite good enough to do the interview without an interpreter..

any suggestions?

I think I made a response on your post couple of hours ago, As what I've said If your husband was able to make his interview in Peru he can do it also on Sept. 23 or you can go with him and tell in advance the Immigration officer that if they have spanish worker that can assist your husband during the interview.

goodluck ..

our interview in Peru was conducted in spanish, and from what I understand, USCIS is in no way responsible for providing you with an interpreter if you don't speak much english. And in response to the previous poster, I obviously have already checked "google and yellow pages" but was hoping to find someone who knew of an interpreter that they could RECOMEND to me, instead of blindly choosing one off of a list. but thanks for your helpful response.

Hey VJers

Anyone know of any good interpreters in the Portland area? we have our AOS interview on Sept 23 and my husband's english isn't quite good enough to do the interview without an interpreter..

any suggestions?

Benefits Not Subject to Public Charge Consideration

Non-cash benefits and special-purpose cash benefits that are not intended for income maintenance are not subject to public charge consideration. Such benefits include:

• Medicaid,

• Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP),

• Food Stamps,

• the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC),

• immunizations,

• prenatal care,

• testing and treatment of communicable diseases,

• emergency medical assistance,

• emergency disaster relief,

• nutrition programs,

• housing assistance,

• energy assistance,

• child care services,

• foster care and adoption assistance,

• transportation vouchers,

• educational assistance,

• job training programs,

• and non-cash benefits funded under the TANF program.

Some of the above programs may provide cash benefits, such as energy assistance, transportation or child care benefits provided in cash under TANF or the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), and one-time emergency payments under TANF.

Since the purpose of such benefits is not for income maintenance, but rather to avoid the need for on-going cash assistance for income maintenance, they are not subject to public charge consideration.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/public_cfs.pdf

Thanks so much for that! HUGE weight off my mind.

I have a tricky predicament for the VJ experts to weigh in on:

I recently moved from Washington state to Oregon state. Unbeknownst to me, my Regents Blue Shield from Washington does not qualify me for Regents Blue Sheild in Oregon. I am still paying my Washington insurance.

Now, to complicate matters further: I am 10 weeks pregnant. Apparently, if you are already pregnant you can't get insurance. Anywhere. No private insurance for the expecting mother. It's considered a "preexisting condition" and I have been laughed off the phone by more than one insurance agent already. The only insurance I can get is Oregon State Health Insurance. Now, I seem to recall signing something during all of this adjust status paperwork promising to not "become a burden to the state." Does this apply to my peruvian born husband only, or do we both have to refrain from accepting state assistance? I am not trying to go on welfare here, I am still paying my premium in Washington, but I can't get my prenatal care or birth covered if I don't have some form of insurance valid in Oregon.

If this is the sort of thing that I should talk to an immigration lawyer about, does anyone know a good one who won't charge me a whole bunch of money to ask a question?

Thanks VJ-ers!

probably stupid question, and i know that with a little digging i could find it myself, but not feeling up to it due to having the flu all week- where can i find out my case status online? for some reason i find USCIS's website very hard to navigate...

USCIS Case Status

thanks- don't know what i expected, but not too much help from USCIS beyond "case processing".... maybe they will send me some fun emails chock full of good news soon...

probably stupid question, and i know that with a little digging i could find it myself, but not feeling up to it due to having the flu all week- where can i find out my case status online? for some reason i find USCIS's website very hard to navigate...

we finally got our ap and ead last week.. (monday 3/10 and wednesday 3/12 ) still waiting on the gc.

My Controls --> Edit Profile Information --> Immigration Status

well thank you much

Hey all

Maybe someone can help me here- I thought this would be the best forum in which to place this.

to the left of my post, you can see all of my info about my husbands country, my name, member status, etc.

it says "filed for" K1.

Now I have filed for AOS.

I have updated my timeline.

Is there a way to update that, or is it there to reflect that when I originally signed up I had filed a K-1?

Thanks!

i am also waiting for my biometrics..

Do you think it is something with Seattle??

it could be... how annoying would that be- just our luck to get the slowest processing center in the nation.

i am also waiting for my biometrics..

I think I got all the updates in here. Recent changes are in red.

Name-----------Sent----Recv'd----NOA1--BioAppt--Interview---Office---------Date approved

RYME----------------10/17----xx/xx----10/23---12/21-----xx/xx----------------------------xx/xx

spirochete----------10/19----10/22----10/26---12/13-----xx/xx-------Chicago------------xx/xx

vikasp--------------10/20-----xx/xx----10/31---11/21-----xx/xx----------------------------xx/xx

nate&nid-----------10/25-----xx/xx----11/02---11/27-----xx/xx----------------------------xx/xx

GueraYTavo-------10/26-----10/28----11/05---11/27-----xx/xx-------El Paso-------------xx/xx

JJWashington------10/28-----10/29----11/05---xx/xx-----xx/xx----------------------------xx/xx

sau-----------------10/29-----10/31----11/06---xx/xx-----xx/xx----------------------------xx/xx

naren---------------xx/xx----10/31----11/06----xx/xx----xx/xx-------Hartford------------xx/xx

redoctober---------10/29-----xx/xx---11/09---11/29-----xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

ladywhite-----------10/31-----11/02---11/08---12/12----xx/xx--------New Orleans-------xx/xx

hamburgapples----11/01-----xx/xx---11/13---11/29----xx/xx------------------------------xx/xx

mi illusion st-------11/01----xx/xx----11/04---xx/xx-----xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

bandit1-------------11/02-----xx/xx---11/16---12/06-----xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

D3m----------------11/02----11/05----11/09---12/14-----xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

Julianod------------11/02-----xx/xx----xx/xx---xx/xx----xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

SanFrancisco-BKK-11/02-----11/04---11/09---12/13----xx/xx----San Francisco---------xx/xx

SweHurricane------11/02-----11/04---11/14---12/15----xx/xx--------Atlanta-------------xx/xx

faal4anisa---------11/05-----xx/xx----11/14---12/04----xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

JVKn'CVO----------11/05-----11/07----11/19----xx/xx---xx/xx------San Antonio---------xx/xx

balmytigeress-----11/06-----11/08----xx/xx----xx/xx---xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

tanyakaraman----11/06-----xx/xx----11/21----xx/xx---xx/xx-------Delaware------------xx/xx

Nini & Bee---------11/07------xx/xx---11/12----12/13---xx/xx-------Philidelfia-----------xx/xx

flakeman1--------11/07------xx/xx----xx/xx----xx/xx---xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

spar-kee----------11/07------xx/xx----11/19---12/04----xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

zzzonzo-----------11/07------11/09----11/19---12/08----xx/xx----Sacramento-----------xx/xx

corsica2147------11/09------xx/xx----11/14---12/03----xx/xx-------Boise----------------xx/xx

Sabovee----------11/09-----11/12-----11/30---12/20---xx/xx--------Baltimore-----------xx/xx

CardiffIan--------11/13------11/15----11/24---12/14----xx/xx-------Chicago-------------xx/xx

Nina+Matt--------11/13-----11/15-----11/21---12/19----xx/xx-------Baltimore-----------xx/xx

Sapphire----------11/13-----11/14----xx/xx---xx/xx----xx/xx-------Miami---------------xx/xx

kalina-------------11/14-----xx/xx----11/23---12/17-----xx/xx----------------------------xx/xx

msendrey--------11/14-----11/15----xx/xx---xx/xx-----xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

NealandCari------11/16-----11/19----11/27---12/19-----xx/xx----Albuquerque----------xx/xx

Neen in Ottawa--11/16-----11/19----11/27---12/20-----xx/xx-------Dallas---------------xx/xx

sereia-------------11/19-----11/20-----11/28---12/20----xx/xx----------------------------xx/xx

VilmaF------------11/19------11/21----11/28---12/28-----xx/xx---------------------------xx/xx

kittybear---------11/20-----xx/xx----11/29---xx/xx-----xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

NowMrs-----------11/21-----11/24----12/04---xx/xx----xx/xx-------Phoenix-------------xx/xx

Melyssa-----------11/27-----11/29-----xx/xx---xx/xx---xx/xx-----------------------------xx/xx

Paula&Minya------11/29-----12/03-----xx/xx---xx/xx---xx/xx------Houston-------------xx/xx

Chester y Monica-11/27-----11/29-----xx/xx---xx/xx---xx/xx-----San Francisco-------xx/xx

Nervously Waitin--11/27-----11/28----xx/xx---xx/xx---xx/xx----------------------------xx/xx

sprailenes---------11/29-----xx/xx-----xx/xx---xx/xx---xx/xx----------------------------xx/xx

bmadeline---------xx/xx-----11/28-----11/30---xx/xx---xx/xx-------Seattle-------------xx/xx

waiting4u----------11/30-----xx/xx-----xx/xx--xx/xx----xx/xx----------------------------xx/xx

I added a few more columns- some october filers are already getting their green cards, so its just a matter of time for us i imagine...

hey november people

i had been posting in the october forum because i sent my stuff in in october, but they sent the whole packet back to me with a confusing message of incorrect fees (they werent)

anyways, i finally got my NOAs dated recieved nov 28, reciept date nov 30. so i guess that just squeaks me in here.

Name------------------Sent------Recv'd------NOA1------BioAppt-------Interview

RYME-----------------10/17-------10/23------12/21----

spirochete------------10/19------10/22-------10/26------12/13----

vikasp----------------10/20-------10/31------11/21----

nate&nid--------------10/25-------11/02------11/27----

GueraYTavo----------10/26-------10/28------11/05------11/27----

sau--------------------10/29-------10/31------11/06---

naren-----------------10/31--------11/06---

redoctober-----------10/29--------11/09------11/29----

ladywhite-------------10/31-------11/02------11/08------12/12----

hamburgapples------11/01-------11/13------11/29----

mi illusion st---------11/01--------11/04------------

bandit1---------------11/02--------11/16------12/06----

D3m------------------11/02--------11/05------11/09------12/14----

Julianod--------------11/02---

SanFrancisco-BKK---11/02-------11/04------11/09-------12/13----

SweHurricane--------11/02-------11/04------11/14-------12/15----

faal4anisa------------11/05-------11/14-------12/04----

JVKn'CVO------------11/05--------11/07-------11/19---

balmytigeress--------11/06-------11/08---

tanyakaraman-------11/06--------11/21---

Nini & Bee------------11/07--------11/12------12/13----

flakeman1------------11/07---

spar-kee--------------11/07--------11/19-----12/04----

zzzonzo----------------11/07-------11/09------11/19-------12/08----

corsica2147-----------11/09-------11/14-------12/03----

Sabovee---------------11/09-------11/12-------11/30-------12/20----

CardiffIan-------------11/13-------11/15-------11/24-------12/14----

Nina+Matt-------------11/13-------11/15-------11/21---

Sapphire---------------11/13------11/14---

waiting4u--------------11/13-------11/16---

kalina------------------11/14-------11/23--------12/17----

msendrey--------------11/14-------11/15---

NealandCari-----------11/16-------11/19--------11/27-----12/19----

Neen in Ottawa--------11/16-------11/19--------11/27-----12/20----

sereia-------------------11/19------11/20---------11/28---

VilmaF------------------11/19------11/21---------11/28-----12/28----

kittybear---------------11/20----------------------11/29---

NowMrs-----------------11/21------11/24

Melyssa----------------11/27-------11/29---

Paula&Minya-----------11/29-------12/03

Chester y Monica------11/27--------11/29---

Nervously Waitin.------11/27--------11/28---

sprailenes---------------11/29---

bmadeline---------------xx/xx--------11/28------11/30

ok thanks everyone. I didn't think it was too confusing.. I guess even though they probably get HUNDREDS of checks for 1010 every day, it might be hard to add up the fees...

Its just so frustrating to have such a simple error cost us even more time in an already lengthy process. usless griping, i know.

would it be advisable to send a check for $930 and another for $80, or should i just resend the 1010 check and hope a different person recieves it?

(and I checked the check- its all fine. Would it be a problem that its not drawn on my account? My mother wrote the check (lending me the AOS money.. my part time job cant cover it all at once..) so its not in my name, but i put the beneficiaries name and A# in the memo line. Is this what is causing the confusion?

I just recieved a rejection notice for my AOS package- with EAD and AP.

I sent a check, which is stapled to the rejection notice, for $1010.

The rejection notice says:

" The check amount is incorrect or has not been provided. The correct filing fee is $930.00. Each applicant between the ages of 14 and 79 must also include the additional $80.00 fingerprint fee. Please resubmit the application with the appropriate fees to the address listed on the bottom of this notice."

So, what am I missing here?

Did they want two seperate checks, one for the filing fee and one for the fingerprint fee?

Also, i got a similar rejection notice on the 131 and the 765, though i filed them all together. What do I do now?

interetsing.. we got our K1 in Lima in June, and I wasnt asked for that document.

Also, we didn't have anything translated and we had no problems at all. We had my husbands birth certificate translated, but they threw it away without even looking at it.

There are many notaries in Lima, just look for signs that say NOTARIA. Shop around a little, if you have time. the discrepencies in price vary wildly.